Known as one of Vermont's most devastating events, the 1927
flood took out 1285 bridges, miles and miles of roads and railroads, and
countless homes and buildings. Eighty-four people died in the flood, including
Lt. Governor S. Hollister Jackson.

The flood occurred on November 2, 3, and 4 of 1927. Rainfall averages
over this period of time range from four to nine inches total. Had this been an
isolated event of extreme rain the effects would not have been so severe. The
month of October, 1927 saw one hundred-fifty percent more rain than normal. In
Northern and Central Vermont there was nearly three hundred percent more; this
completely saturated the ground. Since the periods of heavy rainfall in October
were spaced apart flooding did not occur. These factors, combined with the fact
that it was autumn, a season where most vegetation was already dead or dying,
lead to what is still known as Vermont's greatest disaster. The lack of plants
and the deforestation of Vermont may have played a minor role in the grounds
ability to absorb water. For the soil to be able to hold on to some amount of
water it has to have plants which can consume that water, and with no plants or
trees and heavy rain, the excess runoff has no other place to go than into the
rivers.

A cold front moved into the area from the West, and the rain
started the evening of November 2. The convergence of the cold front, with a low
pressure system that was moving up the Northeast coast caused a strong southeast
air current forcing the storm into Vermont. When it reached the Green Mountains
moist air was forced to rise, causing torrential downpours on November 3. The
rain was most intense in Central Vermont, East of the mountains, and the highest
recorded rainfall was 9.68 inches in Somerset.

Historical (left) and re-photo (right) of a
railroad bridge in Bethel, VT. Little has changed in this area since the flood.

The cause of the 1927 flood cannot be attributed to one single
factor, but a combination of many. The excess rain during the month of October
saturated the soil to the point where it could not hold anymore. The final
factor, the excessive rain culminating on November 4, pushed the landscape over
the edge. The water ran into the already high rivers, causing mass flooding all
over the state. The flood greatly changed the landscape, causing failing on
slopes, destruction of homes and bridges, and forcing a mass rebuilding effort
in all counties.

References:

Misinger, William Elliot The 1927 Flood in Vermont and New
England, November 3 - 7, 1927: An Historical and Pictorial Summary. Blue
Hill Meteorological Observatory and Science Center, 2003

New England Flood Disaster, November 1927, Official Report of
the Relief Work. American National Red Cross, 1929